Staley wasn’t calling anyone out. On a follow up question someone asked what it takes to finish blocks and he said, “Not being lazy and no one here is lazy.”

The 49ers have yielded 19 sacks this season, which leads the league by two over the Steelers. Of the team’s 17 pressures and six sacks by a close review of the 31-17 loss to New Orleans last Sunday, Staley was responsible for 1.5 of them. Staley consistently stuffed the Saints’ best passer, Will Smith, so Staley has the authority to speak about what should be done with protection.

But Staley and the offensive line can talk all they want about finishing blocks, but the problem, as we’ve discussed on this site, is systemic. The Mike Martz offense is all about the chunk plays, the 25-40 yard passes off seven-step drops that take three to four seconds to develop.

The 49ers could minimize both sacks by doing something they’ve haven’t done this season – bootleg passes, rollouts, mobile pockets. Those plays have long been a stable of the West Coast offense.

Both Staley and quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan said those plays are in the Martz offense, but they also said it’s not what the offense wants to do. Staley said with bootlegs and roll outs, you only get two receivers out for throws that typically don’t go past 10 yards. The team did plenty of bootlegs and roll outs last year, and we all know how that turned out.

Staley also agreed that rolling to one side limits the quarterback options to half the field. The beauty of the Martz offense is opening up the entire field with a myriad of deep routes.

Maybe Martz will mix in more boot legs and roll outs to slow the pass rush. But he’ll probably continue to do what he’s done so far – seven-step drops with a lot of play-action and six- and seven-man protections to allow for the three to four seconds needed.

Right now, four man rushes are beating the protections even if the the 49ers keep one or two blockers in. The success of the offense will depend on the line’s ability to work and develop so their six- and seven-men protections don’t get beat.

Offensive and team success will also depend on toughness. With the line’s collective ability (or inability) to protect and Martz’s big-play philosophy, the offense will yield sacks. I’d be surprised if the 49ers weren’t top five in sacks allowed and they would have to be the favorite to yield the most by year’s end.

Sacks demoralize a line and imperil the quarterback. But the line and the quarterback can overcome both issues if they can pick themselves up and keep going. That’s where the mental and physical toughness comes in.